Miners blame forest peace plan for deterring investors

Tasmania's Minerals Council blames the intergovernmental forestry agreement and possible heritage listing of the Tarkine rainforest for deterring interstate investors.

Its executive director, Terry Long, says smaller mining companies are putting their exploration projects on hold and a Queensland investor has pulled out of a tin mining venture in the Tarkine because of political uncertainty.

"The employment generated by the mining industry would dwarf anything that tourism could generate in that area, particularly given that the environment movement will only tolerate what they call eco-tourism," he said.

The group lobbying for heritage listing of the Tarkine has been contacted for comment.

Moscow's words and actions — including the alleged poisoning of a former spy — are not the results of random aggression but rather fall into distinct patterns that can help us anticipate Russia's next moves under Vladimir Putin.